SOLSTICE Sunscreen

Solstice sunscreen began in a little caravan in the Canary islands when our first son Kai was 8 months old. I had been looking for an alternative sunscreen to use on his delicate skin and after some research, got the confidence to make my own. it was so popular we began sharing with friends and then selling our sunscreen at the local market.

Our first son's name Kai means ocean in Hawaiian culture and sailing, diving and surfing are passions that I share with my husband Aitor and now our children too. We currently live and work in the Whitsundays and make our sunscreen here to improve our human impact of the Great Barrier Reef. By choosing a natural mineral sunscreen, I believe we limit our chemical impact on the fragile coral reef ecosystem and also benefit our own skin. Love the ocean, love your skin is the motto of SOLSTICE. 

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Here are some facts about SOLSTICE. 

Natural sunscreens, or mineral sunscreens, are free of potentially harmful chemicals and use titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as their key UV ray-repelling ingredients. They work immediately (though, you'll always have to re-apply after two or three hours to be safe), boast broad-spectrum protection, and are far more gentle and less irritating on skin. And, unlike with chemical sunscreens, there's very little skin penetration when you use a mineral SPF. 

Chemical-laden SPF sunscreens contain oxybenzone, homosalate, and octinoxate — three chemicals that can be absorbed into the skin and cause allergic reactions. Traces of these chemicals can even be detected in breast milk and they are contributing to mass coral bleaching and sterility of corals worldwide.

The best way to protect yourself from the sun is to wear a hat, a t-shirt and stay out of the sun or seek the shade in the hottest parts of the day. Using mineral sun protection (such as Solstice made in the Whitsundays) with care and applying to your face, neck, hands and feet while using clothing to protect the other parts of your body or limiting sun exposure times is the best way to care for yourself and the environment. Mineral sunscreens work immediately unlike chemical sunscreens of which you need to wait 20 minutes for them to be absorbed into the skin.

Our ingredients include Shea Butter, Avocado oil, Coconut oil, Cacao powder, Carrot seed essential oil, Beeswax and Zinc.

Shea butter is fat that’s extracted from the nuts of the Shea tree native to West Africa. Shea butter has been used as a cosmetic ingredient for centuries and has a high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids. It soothes and conditions the skin, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

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The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents in avocado oil help your skin stay smooth, strong, and elastic.  The beta carotene, protein, lecithin, fatty acids, and vitamins A, D, and E help moisturize and protect your skin from damaging UV rays.

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Coconut oil is a highly saturated oil that is traditionally made by extracting the oil from raw coconuts. At room temperature it’s solid, but when heated it can soften or even melt, this is why our Solstice sunscreen sometimes changes form (especially if you leave it in the sun for a long time). When placed in a cool, dry place it will return to a firm cream. Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, which are a form of saturated fat. When rubbed on the skin it has anti-inflamatory, anti-bacterial properties.

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We use cacao powder to make our Solstice sunscreen skin colour and also to add to the smell and texture. Cacao is a rich anti-oxidant and is also anti-inflamatory. Our sunscreen is so healthy, you could eat it!

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Carrot seed essential oil is a type of essential oil. It’s extracted via steam distillation from the seeds of the Daucus carota plant, known for its white blossoms and carrot-scented roots, is also called wild carrot and Queen Anne’s lace. Carrot seed essential oil has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties and a wonderful aroma.

Beeswax helps to give firmness to the oils in Solstice sunscreen. It also helps the sunscreen to stick to you sin and stay on in the water while you are swimming. Beeswax helps to soothe and condition the skin, is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial.

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Zinc oxide is our ingredient with the highest power to reflect harmful UV rays. The zinc particles are bright white and mixed with the oils they sit on top of the skin to work as a barrier protection. Zinc also has astringent, antiseptic and skin regenerating properties.